Residents ask City Council to ban assault rifles

Published: Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 10:43 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 10:43 p.m.

It was standing room only at the start of the Hendersonville City Council meeting Thursday as citizens, devastated by the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., pleaded with city leaders to ban assault rifles and high-volume magazine clips in city limits.

The issue overshadowed a budgeted discussion about whether the council should pass a resolution opposing any state laws that would allow forced water system mergers. The topic was removed from the meeting's agenda.

Jack Prather read the names of the December massacre's 26 victims "who happily awaited a visit from Santa Claus and instead got a visit from a monster."

Loyd Kinnett asked the city to make those who buy the assault weapons known to all police and the public.

Julie Gordon with the Department of Peace and Nonviolence said assault weapons are used to kill "as many people as possible as fast as possible."

"We have a crisis in our country," she said. "The average child of America sees 100,000 acts of violence before he leaves the eighth grade."

Gordon said "banning assault weapons is an action we can take."

"This is obviously an emotional issue for all of us," said Mayor Barbara Volk, who added that unfortunately, the city is limited in what it can and cannot do in regard to guns.

City attorney Sam Fritschner agreed the city's hands are tied when it comes to regulating firearms by ordinance, resolution or otherwise, except in the case of restricting their possession on government property and the discharge of weapons.

Volk added that the city already has those ordinances in place.

Councilman Jerry Smith advised the crowd that the people who can make significant changes would be state Reps. Chuck McGrady and Tom Apodaca.

Before the council adjourned, Councilman Jerry Smith asked city staff to look into options for staffing a student resource officer at Hendersonville Middle School. He said the current SRO at Hendersonville High is asked to look out for both schools, but finds it difficult to be in two places at once.

Smith said the other middle and high schools in the county are served by SROs provided by the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.

Smith also weighed in on the water system merger resolution.

“We at the city of Hendersonville work very hard to not be taken over by the General Assembly. We certainly oppose any intention to take our water and sewer system,” he said, before a unanimous vote removed the item from the meeting's agenda for Thursday.

In other business, City Council agreed to annex and zone a portion of a parcel of land at 1865 Spartanburg Highway to highway business for the Boyd GM Auto Dealership project under construction.

The city also gave the green light to a rezoning request for 708 South Grove St. - the site of the former Hendersonville Christian School, which Henderson County plans to turn into a park. On a motion by Smith, the council unanimously agreed to rezone the property from residential to secondary business.

The council unanimously approved a special use permit for the expansion of Southgate Shopping Center at 213 Greenville Highway, calming a concern from one neighbor by assuring her that a screening wall will be constructed around the Fresh Market dumpster.

<p>It was standing room only at the start of the Hendersonville City Council meeting Thursday as citizens, devastated by the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., pleaded with city leaders to ban assault rifles and high-volume magazine clips in city limits.</p><p>The issue overshadowed a budgeted discussion about whether the council should pass a resolution opposing any state laws that would allow forced water system mergers. The topic was removed from the meeting's agenda.</p><p>Jack Prather read the names of the December massacre's 26 victims "who happily awaited a visit from Santa Claus and instead got a visit from a monster."</p><p>Loyd Kinnett asked the city to make those who buy the assault weapons known to all police and the public.</p><p>Julie Gordon with the Department of Peace and Nonviolence said assault weapons are used to kill "as many people as possible as fast as possible."</p><p>"We have a crisis in our country," she said. "The average child of America sees 100,000 acts of violence before he leaves the eighth grade."</p><p>Gordon said "banning assault weapons is an action we can take."</p><p>"This is obviously an emotional issue for all of us," said Mayor Barbara Volk, who added that unfortunately, the city is limited in what it can and cannot do in regard to guns.</p><p>City attorney Sam Fritschner agreed the city's hands are tied when it comes to regulating firearms by ordinance, resolution or otherwise, except in the case of restricting their possession on government property and the discharge of weapons.</p><p>Volk added that the city already has those ordinances in place.</p><p>Councilman Jerry Smith advised the crowd that the people who can make significant changes would be state Reps. Chuck McGrady and Tom Apodaca. </p><p>Before the council adjourned, Councilman Jerry Smith asked city staff to look into options for staffing a student resource officer at Hendersonville Middle School. He said the current SRO at Hendersonville High is asked to look out for both schools, but finds it difficult to be in two places at once.</p><p>Smith said the other middle and high schools in the county are served by SROs provided by the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>Smith also weighed in on the water system merger resolution.</p><p>“We at the city of Hendersonville work very hard to not be taken over by the General Assembly. We certainly oppose any intention to take our water and sewer system,” he said, before a unanimous vote removed the item from the meeting's agenda for Thursday.</p><p>In other business, City Council agreed to annex and zone a portion of a parcel of land at 1865 Spartanburg Highway to highway business for the Boyd GM Auto Dealership project under construction.</p><p>The city also gave the green light to a rezoning request for 708 South Grove St. - the site of the former Hendersonville Christian School, which Henderson County plans to turn into a park. On a motion by Smith, the council unanimously agreed to rezone the property from residential to secondary business.</p><p>The council unanimously approved a special use permit for the expansion of Southgate Shopping Center at 213 Greenville Highway, calming a concern from one neighbor by assuring her that a screening wall will be constructed around the Fresh Market dumpster.</p><p>Reach Weaver at Emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>